A monastery is a house where several monks live. The calling of a monk is a life of prayer separated from the world. Within the Roman Catholic Church several monastic orders exist, most of which follow the Rule of St. Benedict; the Benedictines are one of these orders. The Franciscans and Dominicans or not monastic orders, they are friars. They live in community, like monks, but remain active in the world. They have historically been more missionary-spirited than monks. I’m not too familiar with the spirituality of the Franciscans, but I know they follow and imitate the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Like St. Francis, their charism is talking with wolves (kidding, though this would be cool). Dominicans are known for preaching and studying. Though they are not monks, both orders have adopted attributes of monasticism: praying the Breviary, the habit (clothes), extensive time in prayer,etc.
There was a recent post similar to this one not too long ago, try searching for it.
HERESY!!!
Just kidding. Franciscans are not monastic at all. Even our habits are different. Francis of Assisi loved the Benedictines and adopted a lot of their theology and that of the Augustinians too, but not their customs.
Franciscans do not live in priories or monasteries. We live in friaries, apartments or community housses, no cloisters.
We recite the Divine Office. Chanting is forbidden by St. Francis. Monks chant.
We recite the mass or we use plain chant or other sacred music, not Gregorian chant. Gregorian chant was never allowed by St. Francis. Pius V had to give the Franciscan as pass on that one. We can pray the Divine Office while walking, under a tree or on a lawn chair. We do not require a proper choir or chapel. Monks do.
We have only one Father, that is Francis. Monks have an Abba who leads each house and he’s elected for life. We have a guardian who makes sure that the material and spiritual needs are provided for, but he can only remain in office for two terms of three years each.
Franciscans do not belong to any particular house. A Franciscan can be itinerant his entire life. Monks are attached to the house where they make their solemn vows. Even if they go away, they remain part of that house and they take their orders from that abbot, no other. We anser to the local superior where we are at the moment.
Monks have a very specific habit. It is a tunic, with a belt, and a scapular with a cowl. Franciscans don’t have a prescribed habit. We can have any form of habit we want or no habit at all. Francis left this up to the friars to decide according to local culture, climate,work and the tastes of the friars. If you ever attend a Chapter of Mats, when delegates from all of the branches of the Franciscan order attend,you will see blue, black, brown, white, tan, grey tunics. you will see shirts and slacks, long tunics and knee length tunics. The habit was to be the clothing of the local poor man.
Monks can own property in common. They do not make a vow of poverty. Friars cannot own personal property and can only own corporate property with the permission of the Holly See.
Franciscans may not live or work among the middle class. Monks don’t have such a restriction.
Franciscans vow obedience to the pope, monks do not. Franciscans must obey each other, monks do not.
The Dominicans and Carmelites did keep more from the monks. The live in priories, which are like monasteries. They chant the office and the mass. They are governed by a Prior, who is like the first among equals. They may live and work in any social economic class, like monks do, even though they must be poor. They’re not exempt from poverty. They can have corporte holdings. Their habit is static. There is only one Dominican habit. There is only one Carmelite habit. The cut may vary a little between the Discalced and the Ancient observance, but the average person may not notice it. They even wear the leather belt and the long mantle.
What makes them friars is that like the Franciscans, they are itinerant. They do not vow stability. Like the Franciscans, they do not elect their superiors for life.
Franciscans, like monks are not priestly. We’ve always had priests. But they are not essential to the order. The Franciscan and Benedictine who is a priest serves his brothers and by extension, the faithful, if needed. A Benedictine becomes a monk to obey and to pray. A Franciscan becomes a friar to be poor, obey and pray. Whether he’s a priest or not is not a requirement. All friars and monks are equal.
For Carmelite, Trinitarian and Dominican Friars, it is important to be a priest. Their ministry is priestly. Even though they have many non ordained friars, these friars support the work of the priests.
Among Franciscans and Benedictines a priest can spend years mowing lawns and never see a confessional. That just came to me, because there was a Benedictine monk on EWTN who is a priest and he was explaining how he spent a year mowing lawns. Now he teaches high school, plays golf and tennis when he’s not praying.
A Franciscan would not play golf or tennis, because these are expensive sports. You may find him on a scateboard or a basketball court, something less expensive and more akin to the working classes. You get the picture. Take someone like Fr. Benedict G. He has been a psychologist and retreat master all his life. He’s never been in a parish. In fact, the Franciscans of the Renewal are not allowed to serve in parishes, even if there are no other priests. Some Franciscans would take on poor parishes.
Dominicans, Carmelites and Trinitarians would take on parishes. Benedictines would take on rural parishes around their monastery so they can return to their monastery.
As you can see, these are very different ways of life and all good folk.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
